Meet the candidate: First-time political candidate Nancy Amos running for state senate D-42 seat

HENRY COUNTY - First-time political candidate Nancy Amos' platform is focused on better access to mental health resources and education.

Amos is currently in a primary race against fellow Republican, Jeff Reichman, for a shot at the Iowa State Senate District 42 seat, held by Rich Taylor (D).

The Mt. Pleasant native, who is a former drug counselor and substitute teacher, first began getting involved with politics in Minnesota, before moving back to live in Iowa full-time in 2012. Most recently, she ran the Henry County Republican Central Committee for two years.

After her husband's run for office in 2018, Amos said she was motivated to consider running a campaign of her own. She began attending committee meetings at the state capital several days a week and networking with stakeholders and other politicians who were similarly passionate about mental health and education.

'I've always been a voice for the people and wanted to help people in need and crisis. I saw a possibility to help in the mental health area after watching a speaker address the Republican Womens' Committee in Des Moines,” she said. The candidate added she has a host of ideas on how to improve the system.

'We have such a need for interventions and beds and counselors. It's a statewide problem that needs to be addressed and I'm ready to fight,” she said.

As a former drug counselor, Amos said she has seen the deficiencies in resources firsthand, including the lack of counselors in the state - something she hopes to address by reevaluating the licensure process.

'I started as a drug counselor around 2008 [in Minnesota]. When we moved down here, the regulations were so weird and I could not get my license. They didn't recognize it, even though I had a four-year degree up there,” Amos explained.

'That's one thing I would like to look at - licensure. I want to be strict but not impossible if someone wants to move here to get licensure done to work in the state,” she added.

Following her move back to Iowa, Amos pivoted into a career as a full-time substitute teacher, something she began doing in 2003 but had put on pause while working as a drug counselor.

'I'd really like to see strong education. I've seen what a disaster the classrooms are, how school boards have changed how they discipline students,” Amos said. The candidate is already looking into legislation she would like to pursue, including the implementation of having cameras in classrooms.

'I think they need to have cameras in every classroom. If the students are assaulting the teacher or each other, teachers have the documentation to back them up,” she explained.

Amos said she also feels more focus on trade schools and life skills like finance and budgeting should be introduced to students earlier on to make sure they can 'make it on their own so they're not depending on government assistance.”

In addition to her main platform issues, Amos said she also feels passionately about looking at how to improve the health care system, which she believes 'should be done with private health care systems.” She also said she believes the country has a 'broken” immigration system and people should be provided a pathway to citizenship, but does not 'believe in storming the borders.”

Following along party lines, Amos also supports the National Right to Life Committee, which works to end legalized abortion, as well as the National Rifle Association and the American for Tax Reform advocacy group. She is also opposed to the legalization of the recreational use of marijuana, but supports it for medicinal uses.

Though she and Reichman align on many issues, Amos said she feels the time she has put in to develop 'legislation and relationships with people across the state” will put her at an advantage. She also feels her platform and campaign touches on a wider spectrum of key issues.

Overall, Amos said she hopes her constituents understand that she will always fight for what is best for them.

'I really love all my constituents and I will work hard for them. I'm not a person that can be bullied into doing the wrong thing. If I don't believe it will be good for constituents, I will not sign on. It has to be good for them,” she said.